By the time we reached Cairo, the rumors had already taken a more concrete form. The relic wasn't just sitting in some forgotten ruin or excavation site. It had been acquired, verified, and put under protection.
And now, it was going to be auctioned.
Not in any ordinary market, but in a closed gathering reserved for magi, nobles, and select collectors with the means and influence to participate. Everything about it was handled in secrecy, from the invitations to the location itself. Only those with proper credentials or backing were allowed entry.
Touko didn't seem surprised when she confirmed the information. If anything, it was exactly the kind of situation she expected. Valuable relics rarely stayed in one place for long, especially ones tied to ancient mysteries. They always changed hands eventually.
"An auction is the easiest way to draw out everyone interested in it at once." she said calmly. "Less effort than tracking it down piece by piece."
"Say… what if we can't outbid the others?" I asked.
"Who said we were bidding for it?"
I made a confused expression.
"We're stealing it from whoever gets it." she continued.
I went silent for a moment, trying to process what she just said.
"..."
"So the auction is just… a setup?" I asked.
Touko gave a small shrug, her tone calm as ever.
"For us, yes. For everyone else, it's a legitimate exchange. We're just there to observe, identify the buyer, and wait for the right moment."
That didn't sound reassuring at all.
"Isn't that going to cause trouble?"
"Of course it will." she replied without hesitation. "That's why we'll be prepared."
"First, we need clothes that fit the occasion."
I blinked. "Clothes?"
Touko glanced at me as if the answer should have been obvious. "You don't walk into a magi gathering looking like that. Appearance matters. It's not just about style, it's about how others perceive you."
I looked down at myself, then back at her.
"So we're going shopping before we rob an auction."
She didn't even react to my wording. "You make it sound crude, but that's essentially the plan."
I sighed. This was going to be one of those days.
"Try not to look so tense." Touko added as she started walking. "At worst, we'll just be seen as participants."
"At worst." I repeated quietly, already not liking the sound of that.
...
The venue wasn't what I expected at all.
From the outside, it looked like a normal high-end building sitting quietly in Cairo's wealthier district. Nothing about it stood out. No signs, no crowds, nothing that would hint at what was happening inside.
But the moment we stepped in, the atmosphere changed.
Security was present, but subtle. Guards were positioned at key points, watching the guests without making it obvious. The people around us were dressed formally, and there was a certain pressure in the air that made it clear they weren't ordinary attendees.
Magi. Collectors. People with influence.
Touko walked ahead without hesitation, completely unfazed. I followed behind her, trying not to look too out of place while taking everything in.
"Stay close." she said in a low voice. "And don't attract attention."
We were guided into a large hall where rows of seats faced a central stage. The lighting was dim, with most of it focused on the front. There were also private sections above, likely reserved for more important guests who preferred to remain unseen.
We took our seats among the crowd.
The room slowly quieted as the lights dimmed further. After a moment, someone stepped onto the stage and began speaking in a calm, practiced tone.
"Welcome. Today's auction will proceed under standard conditions. All items have been verified and authenticated."
They continued explaining the rules and structure of the event. No interruptions, no interference once the bidding started, and strict handling of all participants.
Touko listened without reacting, her eyes fixed on the stage.
I tried to focus as well, but it was hard not to feel the weight of the atmosphere around me.
After a few introductory items were presented, the tone of the room shifted slightly.
"And now, we proceed to the main item of today's auction."
A case was brought onto the stage and carefully placed at the center. Even without seeing it clearly, I could feel the attention in the room tighten.
The casing was opened just enough to reveal the contents inside.
"The starting bid will now begin."
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"Two hundred million."
A voice from the left side of the hall.
"Two hundred fifty."
Another voice followed right after.
"Three hundred."
"Three fifty."
"Four hundred million."
The numbers climbed rapidly, one after another, like everyone had already decided how far they were willing to go before the auction even started.
I felt my grip tighten slightly as I listened. These people weren't even thinking about it.
"Five hundred."
"Six hundred."
"Seven hundred million."
The air in the room shifted. The casual tone from earlier was gone. Everyone who was still bidding now had their attention locked on the stage.
I glanced at Touko.
She wasn't reacting at all. No interest. No intention of joining in.
Of course.
We weren't here to bid.
"Eight hundred million."
"Eight fifty."
"Nine hundred million."
The numbers slowed slightly, but the pressure only got heavier. Each bid carried more weight now, as fewer voices remained.
"...One billion."
That one made the room pause.
Not long. Just enough for it to sink in.
Then—
"One point one."
Silence lingered longer this time. No one immediately countered.
After a few seconds, the presenter raised their hand slightly, scanning the room.
"Any further bids?"
No response.
"Once."
A brief pause.
No one spoke.
"Twice."
Still nothing.
"Sold."
A brief silence followed as the result settled over the room. Attention gradually shifted toward the winner, some guests glancing over with quiet curiosity.
A man rose from one of the central seating sections. He looked to be in his early fifties, dressed in a dark tailored suit that was simple at first glance but clearly of high quality. Nothing about his appearance was flashy, yet he carried himself with the kind of presence that naturally drew attention without trying.
His posture was upright and composed, his movements slow and deliberate. There was no sign of excitement or triumph on his face, only a calm, matter-of-fact expression, as if the outcome had already been expected.
His hair was short, neatly styled, with strands of gray at the temples. His eyes, sharp and steady, moved once across the room before settling forward again.
Touko's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she spoke quietly.
"Alaric Voss."
...
They were guided out of the main hall shortly after the result was confirmed. A staff member approached quietly, exchanged a few words with Touko, then led them down a separate corridor away from the remaining guests.
The private room they were brought to was quieter, more secluded, with a long table and soft lighting. No windows facing the outside, just a controlled space meant for conversations that weren't meant to be overheard.
Touko stepped in first and sat without hesitation. I followed and took a seat across from her, still taking in everything that had happened.
A few moments later, there was a knock at the door.
It opened.
Alaric Voss entered.
Two guards followed closely behind him as he stepped inside. They didn't stay near the entrance, instead positioning themselves within the room, one standing near the door and the other slightly behind Voss's side. Both were dressed in plain but well-fitted suits, their posture rigid and alert, eyes quietly scanning the room before settling into a watchful stillness.
They didn't speak. They didn't move unnecessarily. But their presence was hard to ignore.
Voss himself walked further in, unhurried, as if the presence of guards was simply part of his standard arrangement. He didn't acknowledge them.
He gave a slight nod in greeting.
"So," Voss began, his tone calm and measured, "I assume you've taken an interest in the same item I just acquired."
Touko didn't deny it. "That would be correct."
Voss studied her for a brief moment, then shifted his attention slightly, as if noticing me for the first time in detail. His gaze lingered just long enough to register, but not enough to be intrusive.
"I see," he said. "You've brought a companion."
Before the conversation could continue, he moved to take a seat across from us.
For a brief moment, the room fell into a quiet stillness, the kind that usually comes before negotiations begin.
Voss leaned back slightly, then spoke again.
"You should know, Miss Aozaki, that relic wasn't something I pursued on a whim. It's part of a much larger interest of mine."
Touko's expression didn't change. "I expected as much."
Voss gave a faint nod.
"Good. Then we won't waste time with misunderstandings."
He clasped his hands together, resting them on the table.
"Alaric Voss." Touko said, as if confirming something rather than introducing him. "A magus affiliated with European circles. Not formally tied to the Clock Tower, but with enough connections to move within its influence."
Voss didn't correct her. If anything, he seemed mildly amused.
"That's one way to put it." he replied. "Let's just say I've spent enough time among magi to understand how these matters are usually handled."
His tone remained polite, but there was a subtle confidence behind it, the kind that came from knowing the rules of the game without needing to openly declare them.
"And as for the relic," he continued, glancing between the two of us, "it's not something I intend to simply hand over, if that's what you're here to ask."
The air in the room grew tense.
Things weren't going the way I expected.
For a moment, no one spoke. Voss remained seated, calm as ever, while his guards stood behind him, unmoving. It felt like everything had already been decided, just not in our favor.
Then Touko moved.
A small shift of her hand against the table, almost unnoticeable.
The next second, the lights flickered.
A low hum filled the room as a bounded field activated, sealing the space before anyone could react.
One of the guards moved immediately. Fast. He stepped forward, reaching inside his coat, but Touko was faster.
A sharp sound cut through the air as something invisible struck him across the chest. He was thrown back, slamming into the wall with enough force to crack it.
The second guard reacted without hesitation, lunging forward with precise, trained movement.
I reacted on instinct.
Reinforcement surged through my body as I raised my arm to meet the attack. The collision hit hard, strong enough to push my stance back a fraction, my feet sliding slightly across the floor.
But I held my ground.
My arm shook under the pressure, the force traveling through my body, yet the reinforcement stabilized me just enough to absorb it instead of being thrown away.
I tightened my grip and pushed back, adjusting my footing to anchor myself properly.
The guard's eyes flickered, a brief moment of surprise crossing his expression. He hadn't expected me to withstand that hit, especially not at my age.
Behind him, Touko remained composed, already observing the flow of the fight rather than rushing in.
Voss, still seated, watched everything with quiet interest.
"…Not bad," he said, his tone steady. "And so young too."
He simply watched.
"…I was wondering when you'd drop the act," he said calmly.
Touko smiled faintly.
"Negotiations were never my strong suit."